Local zoning board approves 3-foot setback reduction at 297 Central Avenue

A local zoning board in Norwich (board name not specified in the transcript) unanimously approved a variance Dec. 28 to reduce a side-yard setback from 10 feet to 7 feet at 297 Central Avenue, allowing replacement of a noncompliant exterior stair and a wider second-floor landing.

The applicant, representing the owner listed in the record as Reggie Lofan LLC, told the board the existing stairwell is ‘‘50 years old’’ and ‘‘falling down’’ and needs to be replaced to meet current code. Staff and the applicant described the proposal as increasing the second-floor landing by about 21 inches, not the stair treads, and said the work would remain on the owner’s lot rather than encroach onto an adjacent property.

Staff presented application B-2411 and a set of exhibits including the public notice, the application, Google Street View images, site and elevation plans, stair details and foundation notes. During questioning, board members asked whether the landing enlargement would interfere with vehicle clearance in the rear and whether a Knox key box under the existing stairs would be preserved; the applicant and staff said the configuration with a switchback preserves required clearance and that code compliance would be enforced.

In deliberations board members said the property is already encumbered and that, because of the building layout, there was no feasible alternative means of egress from the second and third floors. One member said the enlarged landing ‘‘is not a detriment’’ to neighboring properties and that requiring a code-compliant replacement amounted to a practical hardship that justified the reduced setback.

Bob Phoenix made the motion to approve the variance; the motion was seconded (second not specified in the transcript). The board voted unanimously in favor (aye votes recorded by Dave Martin, Bob Phoenix, Edward Beckman, Dottie Travis, and Vice President Hussain). Staff said a 15-day appeal period applies and advised the applicant on permits and next steps.

Procedural business earlier in the meeting included acceptance of the Sept. 10, 2024 meeting minutes (accepted as corrected) and adoption of the 2025 meeting schedule; both were approved by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned on Dec. 28.

The record lists the property as 297 Central Avenue, Timberlane (map 87, block 2, lot 80), and names the applicant/owner as Reggie Lofan LLC. The application materials in the record include site plans that note a proposed 7-foot setback to the property line; staff said the plan used an approximate adjacent property line (no survey was included in the application packet).